We have today received the following message from a Dale fan exiled in Australia:- 

Good Morning Mr.Chris Dunphy,Chairman Rochdale AFC 

Greetings from Sydney Australia and may I please take this opportunity to congratulate yourself, your fellow directors, Keith, Dave, the players and all your "backroom team" on such an outstanding football season. 

Chris, like yourself I have followed"The Dale" for over 40 years, in fact as a teenager in the early 1960's I used to cycle from our family home at Broadley, Whitworth to my grandmothers at Rooley Moor Road Spotland and then walk the required distance to watch the Dale play their home games.The ride home was very long and hard if we lost. 

When I started playing football for a local amateur team I always made sure I was at Spotland before the end of each Saturday's game as in those days the gates were opened approximately 20 minutes before the end of the game to allow the long suffering Dale fan the opportunity to escape! so I was able to watch the last part of each game.  

Since emigrating to Australia in 1969, but not before watching Rochdale gain promotion on that famous day when we defeated Southend, I have had a number of visits to England and I have always scheduled my visit to coincide with the football season and the opportunity to watch the Dale.On one occasion I arrived at Manchester airport at 11.00am and 4 hours later I was at Spotland watching Rochdale play their home game while on another visit a friend and Leeds United supporter obtained tickets for a premier game lunch time kick off between Leeds and Liverpool. I enjoyed the game but later in the afternoon I was at Rochdale watching the second half between the Dale and Scunthorpe, unfortunately we lost. During another visit I was able to watch the Dale play a league cup game at Hillsborough but unfortunately during my last visit to the U.K. I was not able to schedule a home game so I had to travel to Boston to watch the Dale. 

Chris, the purpose of this email is to let you know there must be a number of exiled fans scattered around the world who will be glued to their internet on Saturday. I am truly disappointed that I will not be part of the crowd, however I have tentatively booked a flight leaving Sydney next Thursday which will arrive in Manchester on Friday so I can watch Rochdale in the final at Wembley."You can take the supporter away from the Dale but you will never take the Dale away from the supporter."

Once again please pass on my best wishes to Keith, Dave and the team,